American-Portuguese Genealogical and Historical Society records and collection
Scope and Contents
Collection includes selected meeting minutes, correspondence, a set of newsletters, newsletters of other Portuguese genealogical societies, a name card file, microfilm of card file, and vertical file papers. Card files consist of the name file created by members of the APGHS, as well as the research of Anthony S. Catojo, Jr., referred to as his “lifetime collection.” Monographs and serials are catalogued in the library, both in general collections and special collections. Special collections books are housed together in the archives reading room.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1981-1999
Language of Materials
materials in English and Portuguese
Conditions Governing Access
No known restrictions
Biographical / Historical
The idea for a genealogical society specializing in researching family and vital records pertinent to Portuguese Americans began in 1977 when several individuals doing the same research met informally to discuss the idea. The five founders, Pat Amaral, Anthony Catojo, Jr., Estella Margarido, Henrietta Mayer and Cecelia Rose began their efforts by reviewing entries in the 1860 census. The group was formally incorporated in 1981. To standardize the information they were collecting, they asked Bruce Barnes, a librarian at UMD (then SMU) to create cataloguing guidelines. The members eventually compiled information on individuals and family names on over 65,000 index cards. The Taunton Public Library served as home to the card file collection, books and vertical file until 2009, when it was transferred to the FMPAA at UMass Dartmouth. The society published a quarterly newsletter, The Bulletin Board, starting in 1981.
Extent
21 Linear Feet (10 manuscript boxes, 97 card file boxes, 4 oversized boxes and 5 microfilm boxes)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
initial items donated by Frances Sylvia Gracia February 2007, Accession # 07-13. Entire library, card file and vertical file donated by the APGHS through Ernest Cardoza, president, in December of 2008, Accession # 09-10.
General
The collection is divided into 5 series: Series I, Administrative files; Series II, Subject files; Series III, Anthony Catojo Lifetime Collection; Series IV: Surname card index file; Series V: Topical index files; Series VI: Microfilm of card index files; Series VII: Oversized geneaologies.
- Subtitle
- MC 83, American-Portuguese Genealogical and Historical Society records and collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the UMass Dartmouth Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives Repository
Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Rd.
N. Dartmouth MA 02747 USA
jfarrar@umassd.edu